Employment & Labour
Canada Guide 2025 : Ontario
Band 2
Contact number
+1 416-367-6000About
Provided by Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
Our L&E Group offers a full range of services to our clients in employment matters, labour relations, human rights, occupational health and safety, privacy, pensions and benefits, and immigration.
We have extensive expertise in:
- Human resources, including drafting and litigating employment contracts, restrictive covenants, compensation, severance and stock option agreements, human rights/accommodation, attendance management, employment policy manuals, health and safety standards, health and welfare plans, pension and benefits and business immigration.
- Conducting training and investigations, including in the areas of harassment, human rights or fraud allegations.
- Labour relations advice and litigation services, including defending unionization claims, collective bargaining representation, unfair labour practice and bad-faith bargaining complaints, strikes, lockouts and picketing injunctions, successorships, common employer applications, grievances and arbitration.
- Litigating cases at all levels of court in the areas of wrongful dismissal, constructive dismissal, just cause dismissal and other civil litigation, as well as litigating before administrative tribunals such as human rights tribunals, labour relations boards, employment standards adjudicators, workers compensation boards, pay equity tribunals and occupational health and safety adjudicators.
- Advising on and litigating cases resulting from mergers, acquisitions, outsourcing transactions, relocations and closures.
Chambers Review
Borden Ladner Gervais is a robust law firm recognised for its strong national footprint in employment. Its Ontario team based in Toronto and Ottawa advises on a range of employment and labour mandates, including employment and labour issues arising from major M&A transactions. The team is involved in a substantial volume of alternative dispute resolution proceedings including arbitration, and possesses notable experience representing employers in the healthcare, education, retail and construction sectors. From collective bargaining to mental health, the team has experts across many areas. It is particularly experienced in representing clients before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario.
Work Highlights
- Borden Ladner Gervais represented Stericycle in collective agreement arbitrations and provided strategic advice, relating to day-to-day matters and collective bargaining.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"All of the lawyers we have dealt with have had a wealth of knowledge in other areas, which has ensured we always have a well-rounded, and well-informed approach for all issues."
"BLG has a very strong team. The advice is always timely, focused and delivered within a context of solving the challenge in a commercially reasonable way."
"BLG has significant experience and specialised expertise."
"BLG is very strong and shows their expertise in the area of employment law. Haven't come across a situation or question that has stumped the lawyers at BLG."
"They are very available, knowledgeable and provide business-oriented legal advice."
"All of the lawyers we have dealt with have had a wealth of knowledge in other areas, which has ensured we always have a well-rounded, and well-informed approach for all issues."
"BLG has a very strong team. The advice is always timely, focused and delivered within a context of solving the challenge in a commercially reasonable way."
"BLG has significant experience and specialised expertise."
"BLG is very strong and shows their expertise in the area of employment law. Haven't come across a situation or question that has stumped the lawyers at BLG."
"They are very available, knowledgeable and provide business-oriented legal advice."
Notable Practitioners
Matthew Certosimo excels in representing employers across both the public and private sectors. Based in Toronto, he continues to represent major national clients in the full gamut of labour and employment matters. He is also adept at grievance arbitrations and collective bargaining.
"Very knowledgeable,"
"Always available and always professional"
"Matt has demonstrated himself to be, among many, many other things, a trusted advisor, a leader in the labour and employment bar, a mentor and teacher, a skilled advocate and a caring individual."
"Matt is a premier labour and employment lawyer."
Clifford Hart is a Toronto-based lawyer, who is widely respected for representing both provincial and national clients in labour and collective agreement arbitrations, with further skills in human rights issues. He also excels in providing strategic advice on wrongful dismissals and employment-related class actions.
"Cliff Hart brings a great depth of experience in working with our organisation and with other public sector organisations. His depth of experience in labour and employment law is considerable."
"Clifford Hart lives and breathes labour law, always trying to find the practical solution for us. He is invaluable to our team he knows our business so well."
"He is a great lawyer."
Jeffrey Mitchell is most notably experienced in representing national clients in cases before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. He also defends employers in dismissals, workplace investigations and disciplinary issues, with further skills in union grievance arbitrations.
"Jeff Mitchell has consistently exceeded our expectations. He is extremely knowledgeable, kind and compassionate to our concerns. He always ensures that we are prioritised and given the best service."
"Jeff is our go-to employment lawyer for Canada. He provides great, practical advice."
"Jeff is completely responsive, very knowledgeable and experienced and also pragmatic and also has come to know our organisation, which is complex and large very well."
"Jeff is not only a very knowledgeable employment lawyer, but he is very responsive whenever we reach out for advice."
Michelle Henry is held in particularly high esteem for her expertise in contentious employment matters, including wrongful dismissals, injunctions proceedings and human rights litigation. She also advises and acts on behalf of employers in collective bargaining and grievance arbitrations.
"Michelle is an expert and provides practical advice."
"Michelle is a very strong litigator and has a great practice."
Noah Burshtein advises on both contentious and non-contentious labour and employment issues, acting for management-side clients on compliance and policy matters as well as defending litigation claims.
"Noah has consistently demonstrated an exceptional level of dedication, professionalism and expertise. He is incredibly responsive and always provides clear and concise explanations."
Ranked Lawyers at
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
Ontario
Members
Provided by Borden Ladner Gervais LLP